Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. – Rachel Zoe

Everyone has their own style of everything. Whether it be your fashion sense, décor, taste in music or food, or your creative perspective, these can all vary but have a similar thread. That is where I personally pull my design sensibilities from. When it came time to determine what direction and details I wanted in my office, it was no exception.

By now, I’m sure you all know that I love navy blue and shades of pink. I also am a huge fan of tranquil and bright spaces that remind me of my favorite place- the shoreline. Our home certainly has that common aesthetic, but my girl cave space takes it to another level. Below are a few things I always do when decorating or creating anything:

1. List what you want to feel: When you are in your office, do you want to feel inspired, uncluttered, free, happy, organized? I personally say yes to all of the above. Doing this up front will allow you to edit what ends up in your space. If it does not help you achieve the words on this list, it is not right for that particular space.

2. How you want it to look:  We are not talking about details yet, but what are the overarching adjectives you want to use when describing your space to people who have never seen it? In my case crisp, clean, colorful, feminine, organized, bright and fun immediately come to mind.

3. Select colors and gather inspiration: I shared my inspiration and I highly recommend gathering visual cues in one way or another. If you are searching for direction, look to your closet, brand (if you’re a boss lady), favorite colors you can’t put anywhere else in your home or even a memory from that awesome Caribbean vacation! I typically try to stay with two main colors and three accents. That way it’s not too chaotic and you have a cohesive look. Different shades of a color allow you to bend that ‘rule’ a bit.

4. Determine the major pieces: Start with the big things like furniture and larger purchases (rug, coffee pot, electronics, etc) that you will need to have space for. The last thing you want to do is buy any and everything then find you don’t have space for your desk or storage! Also, when purchasing, look at the measurements and map it out in the space, not just on paper. Then…

5. Draft room layout: Now that you know what all you will want to purchase, you can start mapping out where everything will go and what you might want to find for your walls. Of course, once you get the pieces in the room, you might change your mind, but this is a process. I am old fashioned enough that I just draw on paper and walk it out with my measuring tape to see if I feel good in the open space left. If you’re more tech savvy, you certainly could do a full layout in Illustrator or another program.

6. Find and add details: Yay, the really awesome pretty stuff! Like anything else, it is important to make this your space that has meaningful inspirations, personal touches, reminders of times gone by, dreams for the future and room for growth. Start with a few photos, trinkets, practical (but pretty) desk accessories and inspirational quotes. Add as you go, don’t feel like you have to find every piece right away. As we grow and change in life and business, so should we gather new pieces to remind us and inspire us.

Do any of you lovelies have a different process? I would love to hear how you go about decorating and curating your personal spaces!

xoxo, Jenn